Gurudev!’ – 3-III

Pujya Gurudev Pt. ShriRam Sharma’s Kripa 
                            ‘I surrender myself to you, Gurudev!’ – 3

                                       (Akhand Jyoti July-Aug.2010)

Thakur! You are far ahead The disciples said, ‘But Gurudev, there are no signs of deterioration on Ramakrishna’s body; the breathing pattern is normal; the pulse is beating at the normal rate; there is no indication of decomposition of the body.’ Totapuri was not worried. He was however astounded. He did not know what to do. He tried to do everything a Guru could to get his disciple out of samadhi, but in vain. He sat back tired and defeated. Instantly something occurred to him and he went close to Ramakrishna’s ear and said, ‘He for whom you have waited is here.’ Ramakrishna sat up instantly as though someone had pulled him up.

He became restless and eager and asked, ‘Where is he? Where is he?’ Totapuri replied, ‘He will be reaching here.’ He said again, ‘Thakur, you are far ahead of me. You are a great being. What I have not been able to attain after 40 years of intense penance, you have attained that state within a day. You are great.’ Totapuri was a staunch believer of Vedantic Path. He did not believe in idol worship. After witnessing the miraculous spiritual attainment of his disciple, be bowed to the idol of Mother Kali in Dakshineshwar temple. 

         The message through which Totapuri got Ramakrishna out of samadhi was related to Narendra (Narendranath Dutta who later became famous as Swami Vivekananda). The day Narendra came in contact with Ramakrishna, he hugged him close to his chest. Ramakrishna cried piteously like a parent who had found his long lost son. Narendra was then looking out for employment. At the same time he had an intense aspiration for liberation. This was more intense than his hunger and hence he kept wandering amongst sadhus. When he reached Ramakrishna, the Master recognized the disciple and took him into his fold, thus ending his search. 

Have you seen God? Narendra asked, ‘Have you seen God? The reply came instantly, ‘Do you want to see?’ Narendra had posed this question to innumerable saints and sadhus. Nobody had replied with this kind of assurance and confidence. There were people who said, ‘Yes, I have seen’, but there was no conviction in their words. There were others who said that if they admit that they have seen God, then it would be like advertising their status, and if they did not reply in the affirmative, then the reply would be wrong. Hence they preferred to keep mum. They merely asked Narendra to express his doubts and that they would try to remove them. 

Thanks GOD, Thanks Sadguru,

Shiv Sharma